Manchester United v Chelsea: established order go on title parade at Old Trafford

Seven successive crowns have been shared between Chelsea and Manchester
United, including the title up for grabs at Old Trafford on Sunday, but it
could be the last throw of the dice in this game of duopoly. Rebellion brews
against the Establishment.

Slightly richly, the English often accuse La Liga and the Scottish Premier League of being two-horse races, rather ignoring the final furlongs of recent Premier League pursuits.

Since Arsenal in 2004, the first past the post have been Chelsea, Chelsea, United, United, United, Chelsea and now this afternoon’s El Climactico play-off between United and Chelsea.

Wishing for a fuller field for the English marathon is an annual craving. As United and Chelsea trade attacks, aspiring rivals like Manchester City, Arsenal, Liverpool and Spurs will tune in.

They will see defenders of the obduracy of John Terry and Nemanja Vidic, this reporter’s vote for Footballer of the Year, midfielders of the nous of Frank Lampard and Ryan Giggs and attackers of the vibrancy of Florent Malouda and Javier Hernández.

They will note the pace, desire and options on the bench and fully appreciate the qualities required to last the course. Old Trafford offers a high-class check-list for challengers.

The gleaming gauntlet always lies there pitchside, always waiting to be picked up. Next season, the Premier League could boast with greater legitimacy and frequency about a truly open contest. It may eventually slim down to a two-thoroughbred chase, as so often, but the usual early charge looks more sustainable.

The pretenders with the brass in pocket to become contenders are clearly Manchester City. They will invest again, improve again, impose themselves higher up the table again. A momentum grows at Eastlands, fuelled by foreign petro-dollars and local passion, that points to another season of upward mobility.

The squad will be refreshed sensibly. Khaldoon al Mubarak, Roberto Mancini, Garry Cook and Brian Marwood will jettison those who have not bought into the City way and recruit those who will, building around an unshowy spine of Joe Hart, Vincent Kompany, Nigel de Jong and David Silva.

For the world’s wealthiest club, there is a blue-collar feel to City, a gathering danger to the aristocracy.

The usual suspects like Arsenal will be there, perhaps capable of lasting the course better with a fit Thomas Vermaelen, a more established Wojciech Szczesny, and a central trio of Jack Wilshere, Aaron Ramsey and Alex Song, assuming Cesc Fabregas is finally sold to Barcelona as Xavi’s long-term successor.

If Arsène Wenger recognises the need for leaders, and spends appropriately on a bit of grit, Arsenal could mount a more sustained challenge. If they toughen up mentally.

Thursday nights, Channel Five could complicate Liverpool’s calendar, but the recent rise into Europa League contention confirms their revival under Kenny Dalglish. A footballer so associated with the title and the European Cup will not be content with life among the second tier.

Dalglish’s intensely competitive nature will ensure he’ll want more than a tilt at fourth. If United close on championship No 19 today, Dalglish will be on a Kop-sanctioned, perch-restoring mission to capture a first title since 1990.

Liverpool have re-found their soul and unity with King Kenny’s return. He’s promoting talent from the Academy like Martin Kelly, John Flanagan and Jack Robinson (with Raheem Sterling and Conor Coady to come).

Liverpool are addressing long-standing imbalances in the squad, particularly targeting a good left-back like Newcastle United’s José Enrique and wingers like Rennes’ Sylvain Marveaux.

Luis Suárez has certainly hit the ground running, proving one of the best players over the second half of the season. If Andy Carroll can stay fit, and stay off the pints, Liverpool could terrorise opposing defences.

Spurs cannot be completely ruled out of contention, especially if they can keep their most influential player, Luka Modric, from United’s clutches and bring in a top-class centre-forward like Didier Drogba, still a force at 33.

Depending on how charitable you are towards Heurelho Gomes, Spurs arguably need a new goalkeeper. Yet it threatens to be a strange season for Spurs with continued conjecture about a new ground and the manager, Harry Redknapp, expected to decamp to England in summer 2012.

Such hopefuls need to raise their game substantially as United and Chelsea will not stand still. Aston Villa’s Ashley Young is a serious target for United, providing penetration in the left-flank role that Nani has yet to assume fully.

Another option is Modric, who possesses that hunger for possession under pressure that is a United trademark. The Croatian has certainly proved this season he boasts the robustness of mind and body to compete in the midfield boiler-room.

Sir Alex Ferguson is also focusing on a keeper like David de Gea, of Atlético Madrid, as Edwin van der Sar, having entered his fifth decade, heads home to spend more time with his family. Yet the loss of the calmly inspiring Dutchman will initially be considerable. Some uncertainty could creep in early on.

Most importantly, Ferguson promises to remain in situ, masterminding another campaign from his control-room overlooking the training pitches and players’ car-park at Carrington.

The 69 year-old neither looks nor sounds ready for retirement, for a life of dead-heading roses, chats with the vicar about the steeple appeal followed by quiet pints down the Dog and Hairdrier. He’ll keep going, regardless of the result today or against Barcelona in the Champions League final on May 28.

Crazily, Chelsea seem intent on replacing the popular Carlo Ancelotti even if he brings another title. Drogba will surely also leave, allowing Fernando Torres to be the centre of attention. Chelsea have already been linked with Neymar, the exciting young Brazilian with an unfortunate propensity for theatrics, and others will arrive.

Whoever succeeds Ancelotti, there is enough strength of character in the dressing room to ensure Chelsea remain a force. The Establishment on parade at Old Trafford today will not surrender the high ground of the Premier League lightly.